rec.autos.simulators

by **Olav K. Malm** » Fri, 02 Jul 1999 04:00:00

> I don't have a wheel, don't want one. I like flight sims and other
> stuff too so for me the good digital joystick was a better all around
> controller.

> Anyway, I'm wondering of those here that use the joystick for GPL,
> what do you use for shifting? And Brake/throttle? I can't get used
> to manual shifting with the joystick. Do you have pedals for
> brake/throttle or everything on the stick?

> Right now, I have throttle forward and brake back on the stick. It
> makes it awkward to shift and steer at the same time. So I'm stuck on
> shifting help which is holding me back.

> Thoughts?

> And no, I don't want a wheel, or pedals. Is it possible with *just* a
> stick? I hear that some of the fastest hot lappers use the stick, but
> do they use pedals too?

> glen

I have used two ways of gearing when i used a joystick for various sims. I used
of course button 1 (the one under you finger) to gear up and the button on the
top of the joystick to gear down. While this works ok in more arcadish games
GPL may give you some troubles. The problem is when braking and downshifting,
the joystick might shake a bit when pressing the downshiftbutton and before
you know it you find youself heading for the beautiful countryside of Belgium,
or the local inn :).
In ICR2 i used the keyboard for shifting: "S" to shift up and "X" to shift
down. Worked very well. I haven't tried it in GPL though because I went through
the phase of denial and got myself a MS FF wheel :)

But AFIK some of the hottest hotlappers (wow) on the net use a joystick.

--
Olav K. Malmin
remove spam when replying

by **Thomas Fo** » Fri, 02 Jul 1999 04:00:00

> I don't have a wheel, don't want one. I like flight sims and other
> stuff too so for me the good digital joystick was a better all around
> controller.

For true comfort and thrills, a steering wheel is essential for Grand
Prix Legends. A joystick will suit you fine if you're a casual racer
however. You won't feel the same control over the car as the rest of
us do though.

If you did have a steering wheel with pedals, you could use the pedals
for braking and accelerating and the joystick for steering. Some of
the best GPL racers use this technique. I've tried it and it has
certainly helped my lap times!

If you really don't want to do this however, just use the stick for
everything. Make sure you get a high quality joystick however, such as
the Microsoft Sidewinder Pro, which has plenty of buttons, a throttle
controller, 8-Way HAT switch, etc.

Yes, they do.

Thomas Ford

"Please remove NOSPAM from e-mail address to reply"

by **Randy Cassid** » Fri, 02 Jul 1999 04:00:00

It's much more a personal taste issue than you make it out to be. I
use a stick and pedals. As far as I'm concerned, I get plenty of
"feel" with a stick. And I have excellent control over the car while
using it (ask anyone in our in-house GPL league; I'm Mr. Car Control.
:-)

Randy

by **Jack Ramb** » Fri, 02 Jul 1999 04:00:00

Okay, Mr. Car Control...

So the $64k question is...

How's that force feedback translate on that (presumably) force feedback
joystick of yours? :)

Jack
www.RaceLive.com/GPaL

by **Ralf & Gwendoly** » Fri, 02 Jul 1999 04:00:00

As a former stick GPLer (really more of a flight simmer until GPL came along
i did not have a car sim) I have to agree that a steering wheel is more fun
as far as the "suspension of disbelief" goes. It just simulates driving a
car better with a wheel than with a stick. I got the el cheapo Compusa wheel
on the recommendations of people in this NG and I am very pleased with it.
It only costs $30. It has peddles for gas and brake, but I want to get a
set of CH pedals anyway. But to each their own, and indeed Ihave seen that
some of the hotlap champs out there use a stick.

Dolle Dolf

> On Thu, 01 Jul 1999 15:37:06 GMT, "Randy Cassidy"

> > It's much more a personal taste issue than you make it out to be. I
> > use a stick and pedals. As far as I'm concerned, I get plenty of
> > "feel" with a stick. And I have excellent control over the car while
> > using it (ask anyone in our in-house GPL league; I'm Mr. Car Control.
> > :-)

> I don't see how you can get the same feel from driving a car with a
> joystick as you can with a wheel. Racing sims are designed for
> steering wheels in mind, especially GPL.

> Do you think you'd be any good if you tried flying a die hard flight
> sim, such as Falcon 4.0, with a steering wheel? Of course not. And
> why? Because planes should be flown with sticks, not wheels.

> But yes, I can agree that personal taste certainly plays a big part in
> it. But you still won't have the same 'feel' of being behind the wheel
> that you will with a stick - at least not in my humble opinion.

> Thomas Ford

> "Please remove NOSPAM from e-mail address to reply"

by **Thomas Fo** » Sat, 03 Jul 1999 04:00:00

On Thu, 01 Jul 1999 15:37:06 GMT, "Randy Cassidy"

> It's much more a personal taste issue than you make it out to be. I
> use a stick and pedals. As far as I'm concerned, I get plenty of
> "feel" with a stick. And I have excellent control over the car while
> using it (ask anyone in our in-house GPL league; I'm Mr. Car Control.
> :-)

I don't see how you can get the same feel from driving a car with a
joystick as you can with a wheel. Racing sims are designed for
steering wheels in mind, especially GPL.

Do you think you'd be any good if you tried flying a die hard flight
sim, such as Falcon 4.0, with a steering wheel? Of course not. And
why? Because planes should be flown with sticks, not wheels.

But yes, I can agree that personal taste certainly plays a big part in
it. But you still won't have the same 'feel' of being behind the wheel
that you will with a stick - at least not in my humble opinion.

Thomas Ford

"Please remove NOSPAM from e-mail address to reply"

by **Thomas Fo** » Sat, 03 Jul 1999 04:00:00

There is no FF in GPL yet...?

Thomas Ford

"Please remove NOSPAM from e-mail address to reply"

by **Peter Nilss** » Sat, 03 Jul 1999 04:00:00

>Okay, Mr. Car Control...

>So the $64k question is...

>How's that force feedback translate on that (presumably) force feedback
>joystick of yours? :)

>Jack
>www.RaceLive.com/GPaL

Oh the horror!!!! Maybe the GPL 1.1 patch only adds FF for
JOYSTICKS!!!!!

:-)

/petern

by **Woodie** » Sun, 04 Jul 1999 04:00:00

>Do you think you'd be any good if you tried flying a die hard flight
>sim, such as Falcon 4.0, with a steering wheel? Of course not. And
>why? Because planes should be flown with sticks, not wheels.

Blasphemy!
Everyone knows that aircraft should only be flown from a prone position,
grasping the wing-warping cables in your hands.

Wilber Wright

rec.autos.simulators

GPL: Joystick advice.

GPL: Joystick advice.

GPL: Joystick advice.

GPL: Joystick advice.

GPL: Joystick advice.

GPL: Joystick advice.

GPL: Joystick advice.

GPL: Joystick advice.

GPL: Joystick advice.

GPL: Joystick advice.